The Ring
by piperchick
Summary: Fang's got the ring. Does he have the guts to ask the question? One shot


Okay guys. I have plenty of excuses but I can't get into them right now. I WILL keep wrighting for Finding Home, its my baby.  
I DO read all the reviews and if they say something whitty or awesome I more than likely check out the profile and I DO read yall's stories. I, like many of you, enjoy reading as much as writing.  
I think you all are awesome and I'm amazed at how many of you guys stick with Finding Home no matter how spacey I get with the updates.  
Please trust me in that I will be writing more soon, things are hectick and they take priority right now.

Okay this is a cute little sappy somethin-somethin story.

Disclaimer: All characters are property of James Patterson. He's got a wicked since of humore.

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The Ring

It was staring at him. Right there like a big flashing sign that read both your ticket to heaven or straight to hell. It was driving him crazy. He picked it up off his dresser and placed it back in the same spot. He went over and sat on his bed, paused for a second and got up and went back to his dresser.

He wiped his nervous sweaty hands over his equally sweaty face and turned to his partner in this little plan. "So, what do you think? You think this is right?"

Iggy tipped his head and shoved his hand out, "Let me feel it one more time. But you already know what I'm going to say."

Fang dropped the tiny gem into his friends hand and started to grind his teeth. He felt like his wings were on the inside of his stomach.

"Never mind. Forget it," Fang mumbled and tried to grab the ring back. "Stupid idea, stupidest one ever." Now if only he could forget this and not throw up his lunch.

Iggy pursed his lips and swatted at his hand, "It is not stupid. As a matter of fact it's about damn time you manned up! Come on, Fang, you guys are living together anyway."

"It's not what you think, Igg."

"Yeah, sure. Okay. My hearing is impeccable. And there are some things that go on in that room that I would rather not hear. So don't tell me it's not what I think because it's what I hear that I know."

Fang growled and went back to pacing around his room. He swung his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "What if she says no… she can say no. You know that right? I mean, it's not a guaranteed yes. There's like a fifty-fifty shot here."

Iggy raised an eye brow at his pathetic friend and grinned. "I'd say your chances are greater than fifty-fifty." They were meant to be together plane and simple and if Fang didn't see that than he was as daft as his wardrobe style.

"I can do this…. I can do this. I've saved the world for god's sake. I can do this," Fang said as he lightly jumped up and down pumping himself for the biggest night of his life.

Iggy could hear the desperation in his best friends voice and could almost see his anxiety rolling off him. He walked over to Fang and took his hand, "Man, you got this. Its easy, you got it in the bag." And he gave the ring back to Fang and walked to the door.

"Iggy."

"Yeah." Igg turned back.

"I would rather fight a hundred Erasers," Fang crocked out.

"Yeah, I figured. You can do it chicken boy. I'm leaving with the rest of the flock to see a movie…. so uh, tonight's a pretty good night." Iggy smiled and opened the door.

"IGGY-,"

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Don't leave me!"

"Dude, shut up. I'm not going to be here when you ask her! That's kind of not cool! You can do this."

"I can do this," Fang squeaked.

"You can do this." Iggy said one last time before exiting quickly.

Fang continued to pace staring at his door. Waiting for what, he didn't know. What he did know is that for two months he's been holding on to that ring just waiting for the perfect moment to ask Max. Yeah, that perfect moment.

Well, this moment was as good as any. Finding out that Max was pregnant made the decision to ask for her hand simple and almost expected. He just didn't count on being scared to death. He looked down at the small golden band representing so much more than a piece of jewelry and closed his fist around it.

Every negative thought came to his mind. What if she said no? What if she laughed and thought he was crazy? What if she threw it back in his face not wanting to be with him? What if she said yes…. Oh God, what if she said yes?

The feeling of joy at that prospect was almost too much to bear. Max would be his wife and he would be her husband. Just thinking those words made him giddy with possibility. He had nothing to loose by asking her but if she rejected him he would loose everything. Every reason for being, for living, for breathing.

He shoved that thought into the back of his head and went to put the ring back in its red velvet box. No, now was not the right time. Maybe when the baby is born or when it's Christmas or any other day but today. Today was not the day.

Fang stared at the ring one last time and then left to clear his thoughts with a cold wash cloth from the bathroom and a glass of coke from the kitchen.

He passed Max on the way to the kitchen and gave her a sheepish grin.

"Are you okay," she asked noticing her white cloth around the back of his neck. She fumbled with the basket of clothes she attempted to fold which now haphazardly laid in the basket between her arm and waist.

"Yeah, you know, just over heated," he tried to pass off. He noticed the way her hair up in the pony tail allowed for small pieces to sweep down on the sides of her face and he sighed with want.

"Okay," she said skeptically. She gave him another long look of concern then continued down the hallway. "I'm putting up clothes," she glanced behind her as she walked to the bedrooms, "Hey do you know why the flock left in a hurry? I know we all wanted to see that movie so---,"

Silence.

Fang held the refrigerator door open waiting for Max to finish her sentence slightly worried why she didn't.

_Oh shit!_

"FANG!," Max shouted. It came from his room.

_OH CRAP!_

He hurried from the kitchen trying to swallow down the bile that rose to his throat. He peeked into his room and saw Max looking at the ring. Glaring was more appropriate, she looked at it like it was a dead animal she found on the road.

He cleared his throat, "Yeah, what's wrong," he slyly replied.

"What is this?" Max pointed to the box, her eyes round and perplexed.

"It's nothing. Nothing." Fang thought quickly trying to find a way out of this mess. Why didn't he put the ring back in his sock drawer? Why oh why?

"Nothing!" Max exclaimed flabbergasted. Her eyes shot up to Fang's and violently pointed towards the box again, "It's a ring, Fang!"

He shrugged trying to lighten the moment, "Yeah I know… but its nothing really… just a ring." He walked in and picked the soft red box up, closed it nonchalantly and placed it back on the counter top.

Max gave a quick shake of her head dropped the clothes basket with a thud and lifted both hands into the air, "Just a ring?" She grabbed the box opened it up and shoved it under Fang's nose for effect, "It's a diamond ring, like an engagement ring." Then placed it back on the dresser opened.

"Oh yeah, well, what do know it is?" He said with a laugh and nervously ran his hands through his hair.

"What is going on, Fang?" Max asked nervously bouncing on her feet.

"Nothing, Max." Oh dear God he wanted this to end…. It did not seem to be going well.

"Who's the ring for?" She asked a little more demandingly obviously not liking his dodging method.

Before he could stop himself he blurted out, "Nobody!" He knew it was wrong the second it came out of his mouth, the look on Max's face only confirmed it.

"Excuse me?" She sputtered. The look on her face quickly switched to being hurt and pissed at the same time.

He had to think fast, "Okay, so somebody." He licked his lips, "Okay, so maybe you." Oh yeah, real smooth.

Her opened mouth clamped shut and she pondered his reply lividly. "Maybe me… what is that suppose to mean? Maybe you want to marry me? Maybe? Your not sure yet."

Max being livid escalated to Max being irate.

Fang didn't know what to do. How did he say he was scared? He couldn't just say that he was scared, Fang doesn't get scared. "Well, I'm not sure yet until I get an answer from you… then I'll be sure." That's as close as Fang would ever get to saying he was scared. Apparently, not close enough.

"What? That's the most ridiculous reasoning I've ever heard." She shook her head in utter confusion which Fang couldn't deny since it confused him as well.

Her nose crinkled and he thought it was cute. What the hell, he'll just ask and let her say yes.

"Okay. So… Am I going to be sure or not?" There, that wasn't too painful for him. A feeling of relief swept over him. It was done, the question was asked.

He wasn't prepared for the look of audacity she gave him nor the flippant reply.

"I don't know Fang? Maybe I don't want to be married to a guy that _maybe_ wanted to be married to me! Maybe there someone out there that knows they _want_ to marry me and not just _maybe_ knows." Her eyes were beginning to glisten and her breath was coming in huffs.

He didn't know what to do. He kinda knew how to handle Max but not pregnant Max. The feeling of entrapment overcame him and the urge to wave a white flag of surrender sent him into his next disastrous remark, "Well, do you want to do it?"

"What?" She yelped.

"You know, are we going to do this thing?" Fang's question was answered by Max reaching down and throwing a rolled up pair of socks at him. It missed him and landed in the hall.

"You are such a guy! I can not believe you are asking me this like this! Do I _want_ to do this!" She mocked reaching for an ill folded shirt chucking it towards Fang, it landed on his head, "It's like asking if I want to take the trash out!"

Fang grabbed the shirt off his head, "See I knew you wouldn't want to do this! I knew it was stupid to ask. This so isn't you!" He threw the shirt onto his bed and dodged another pair of socks.

"What! Isn't me. Isn't me! So you know what is me and isn't me, now!" She angrily shouted picking other articles of clothing out of the basket to throw wishing for bricks and knives.

Fang started to wonder if she was upset because she wanted to marry him or if she was upset because she didn't and he bought the ring. "Well, yeah because I knew you wouldn't want a ring or marriage or any of it. I'm sorry I even asked."

She stopped tossing cotton ammo to glare at him, "How do you know? Did you want to get married? Obviously you did since you bought the ring, or did you change your mind since I clearly wasn't supposed to see it and you had this big question under a freaking _Maybe_!"

Oh he had just about enough. This whole confrontation had him all confused now.

"Well, hell, Max! I'll take the ring back. It didn't mean anything… I don't know what I thought but I was wrong with whatever I was thinking at the time. You don't want it, that's fine!"

Maybe that would calm her down, just forget about the whole thing.

She shook with anger, "I don't want it! I DON'T WANT IT! Erg!" She screamed as she stomped out of the room and pushed Fang into the door. It rattled on it hinge and Fang looked on in complete bewilderment.

Max came back with a tiny black box of her own and threw it at Fang hitting him square in the head as it tumbled to the floor.

"What the-," Fang stopped as he rubbed his head and bent down to pick up the velvety black box. At the moment of recognition Fang's stomach bottomed out.

He squeezed the small box until the popping sound opened it and revealed a small tiny diamond wrapped in a silver band. He swallowed as he looked up into Max's eyes now flooded with tears.

"Max," he questioned softly, "what…?"

"It's an engagement ring," she quietly whined as she wiped away tears sniffing hard.

"I can see that… what is it for?" he asked again as he stepped towards her both hands out palms up surrendering to her as to not make her anymore upset.

"It's for you to give to me," she sniffed, "when I ask you to marry me," she mumbled a little. She started to blush and her wings began to fidget. That made Fang smile a little knowing that he can make her just as nervous as she made him.

"You were going to give me this ring?" he teased, "It's a little small."

"Not for you to wear, stupid. For you go give to me," she laughed a little through her cry and then widened her eyes playfully, "Do you want me to buy you a ring?"

Fang chuckled and shook his head. "No. I can't believe you bought your own engagement ring."

Max shrugged, "I didn't know if you were going to get around to it and I needed a ring if I was going to ask you but now…" her gaze fell on Fang's ring still opened on the dresser and looked down. "But if you don't want to…" she couldn't finish that statement.

"Shhh," Fang placed a finger on her lips silencing her and tipped her chin up to look at him. "We don't do anything easy do we?" He smiled.

She grinned back and shook her head. Fang slowly took the ring Max threw at him out of the velvet box taking a deep breath as not to pass out and grasped her left hand. He glided down on his knee never taking his eyes off her. He noticed when her eyes grew bigger, when her lips began to tremble along with her hand and how the smile that started to show on her face traveled to his. He was grinning like a big goof ball and loved every minute of it.

She bit her lower lip as he started to speak, "Max," he began, he couldn't think of what to say so the words that spilled out surprised him as well as her.

"Max, we've been through it all. Ups and downs. We've been through hell with nothing but each other to hold on to. I get you and you get me and we…fit." She tightened her grip on his hand and his heart swelled with fire, "We are literally two of a kind, made for each other, soul mates in every way. We are part bird and part human. The bird tells us that we are mates for life and the human allows us to be friends for life. Be the half of each that makes me whole. Be my soul mate, be my best friend, be my wife, be the mother of my children and keeper of my heart. Maximum Ride, will you marry me?"

Fang quickly blinked away his own tears amazed at the level of emotion that arose in him but not ashamed of it. If there was any a time to ensure Max of his feelings for her, now was it.

Max was having her own trouble finding words and actions through her tears and laughter. The hand that had been over her mouth and reached for ring on the wooden dresser wiggling it out of it own velvet encasement.

She gave a gasping laugh as she held the ring out to Fang, "Only if you'll marry me, Fang."

He smiled and took the other ring lining both up with Max's ring finger slipping both on at the same time. "I think I can do that," he laughed as he stood taking Max in his arms, he recognized the thunderous beat of her heart as matching his.

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Hehe, so this is based off of my roommate and how her boyfriend asked her to be his girlfriend (not wife) but still funny. Boys (sigh) what are we going to do with them?

Oooo, so like my newly edited profile states I had no idea how to do this line break thingy... but I did it! I did it! Yeah, not the product of the computer age, I tell ya.


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